• Greenpeace activists protest against US radar
    04/28/2008

    Czech members of Greenpeace on Monday occupied grounds in the Brdy military zone southwest of Prague where a US tracking radar is to be installed. Some 20 activists have put up tents at the site in protest against the planned stationing of the radar on Czech soil. According to the Greenpeace spokesperson they plan to stay there “as long as possible”. The activists have not been given an entrance permit by the military. Greenpeace members will provide more information on their anti-radar campaign at a news conference scheduled to take place on Monday.
    Author: Ruth Fraňková

  • EC lowers forecast of Czech economic growth
    04/28/2008

    The European Commission on Monday lowered its forecast of Czech economic growth for this year to 4.7 percent in its regular spring forecast. In autumn it predicted a 5 percent increase. The EC also considerably raised the estimate of consumer price growth for 2008 from 3.8 percent in November to 6.2 percent. Last year, the Czech economy grew by a record 6.5 percent while inflation amounted to 2.8 percent.
    Author: Ruth Fraňková

  • Over 260 Czechs seek asylum in Canada after visa lifting
    04/28/2008

    A total of 267 Czechs have applied for asylum in Canada in five months since the visa duty was abolished in October last year, according to the data released by the Canadian Embassy. Canada is not planning to re-introduce the visa requirements for Czech citizens, the embassy has said. Canada first lifted visa requirements for Czech citizens shortly after the fall of communism, but reintroduce them in 1997 in reaction to a flood of asylum seekers from the Czech Republic, mainly Romanies, on the grounds that Czechs were abusing the Canadian welfare system.
    Author: Ruth Fraňková

  • Cabinet to earmark funds to Czechs participation in EU missions
    04/28/2008

    The Czech government decided on Monday to earmark 115 billion crowns to finance Czech participation in civilian missions of the European Union and other international organisations this year, which is three times more than last year. The highest sum, altogether 14 million crowns, will go to the Czech Provincial Reconstruction Team in Afghanistan and 36 million crowns to finance civilian projects in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Iraq, Kosovo, Liberia and Palestine.
    Author: Ruth Fraňková

  • Former police president Husák to head foreign police
    04/28/2008

    Former police president Vladislav Husák will become the head of the Czech Foreign Police as of May 1, replacing Jindřich Urban in the post. Vladislav Husák resigned on the post of police president in May 2007 due to alleged links to criminal affairs; none of the suspicions has been confirmed.
    Author: Ruth Fraňková

  • Czech Interior Ministry prepares migration limiting programmes
    04/28/2008

    Czech Interior Minister Ivan Langer will submit a plan to curb possible illegal migration from Mongolia and Iraq to the Czech Republic. The project is part of the Interior Ministry’s policy aimed at cooperation with the countries from which larger numbers of illegal migrants come. A pilot project that should be launched this year includes consultancy and support for the legal migration of the Mongolian workforce and training migration management in Iraq.
    Author: Ruth Fraňková

  • Microsoft interested in Seznam.cz
    04/28/2008

    The world’s largest software producer Microsoft is in talks to buy the biggest Czech Internet web site Seznam.cz, the daily Hospodářské noviny reported on Monday. The founder and owner of Seznam.cz Ivo Lukačovič is to meet Microsoft head Steve Ballmer, who will be lecturing in Prague in May. Mr Lukačovič has denied the news on the sale.
    Author: Ruth Fraňková

  • Eleven children injured in bus collision
    04/27/2008

    Eleven children sustained light injuries when two buses and a car collided in Prague’s Hostivař district on Sunday. The buses were ferrying 60 children to a school camp when the accident happened. Many of the children were in a state of shock. Eleven were taken to a nearby hospital for treatment. None of the injuries are reported to have been serious. Police are investigating the cause of the accident.
    Author: Daniela Lazarová

  • GPs support fees for medical services
    04/27/2008

    The Association of Czech GPs has expressed support for the introduction of fees for medical services within the health care reforms introduced at the beginning of this year. GPs say that the symbolic fee of thirty crowns per visit has reduced the number of patients who seek medical attention for minor problems, allowing doctors to devote more time and attention to people who truly need it. Doctors keep the money they collect in fees and generally use it to modernize their surgeries or waiting-rooms. The introduction of fees has come under severe criticism on the grounds that a visit to the doctor should be covered by health insurance.
    Author: Daniela Lazarová

  • Mayor Bém considering Congress Centre as home for National Library
    04/27/2008

    Prague Mayor Pavel Bém has said he is considering the possibility of housing the National Library in the Prague Congress Centre. In a debate on commercial TV Prima on Sunday, the mayor said the Congress Centre would naturally have to be reconstructed to meet the library’s needs but it would mean that a new building would not have to be built. The suggestion comes in the wake of months of controversy over the winning design for a new library building by London- based architect Jan Kaplický. The futuristic gold-and-purple design was intended for Letná Plain but the town hall is vehemently opposed to the idea, saying that it would ruin the panorama of the city.
    Author: Daniela Lazarová

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